MERSEA WILDLIFE: CUDMORE YELLOW-BROWED

A flock of 500 brent geese was in the grazing fields at Cudmore Grove for the first time this winter on Tuesday 12th.

The yellow-browed warbler was still present by the park pond for the second day, having been found by Mollie Kirk the previous day, Monday. On Tuesday Mollie heard it again calling from the sallow bushes near the pond and it provided fleeting glimpses at times during the morning. At times it seemed to be with a long-tailed tit flock seen feeding in bushes beside the horse-ride path. This is only the second time yellow-browed warbler has been seen on the island after two birds were found at the park in October 2013.

Also by the park pond on Tuesday morning were three siskin flying over and a goldcrest with the tit flock. A grey squirrel was feeding in a rose-bush by the pond while a red squirrel seen by Mollie at the park was the first sighting for a while there. A common darter was enjoying the late autumn sunshine at the park.

A drake wigeon was seen in the park dyke on Tuesday with 100 birds seen in the dyke and nearby grazing field.

A flock of 41 avocets was seen in the Strood channel on Monday 11th, along with 200 brent geese, 100 wigeon, 100 teal, 120 black-tailed godwits, 100 golden plover and 30 Mediterranean gulls. Birds of prey were on the move in the morning sunshine with a group of five red kites seen crossing from the West Mersea Hard northwards to Feldy Marsh, also five buzzards crossing westwards from the Hard. A further ten buzzards were noted during the walk along the Strood channel. Two stonechats were by the dyke.

At Cudmore Grove on Monday a yellow-browed warbler was heard by Mollie Kirk calling near the park pond but proved elusive to see, eventually showing two hours later in mid afternoon. A few of the local birders manage to see the bird, the first island sighting for eleven years. Also at the park a firecrest was found by Simon Patient near the hide also a goldcrest and two chiffchaffs in the same area by the pond.

Forty fieldfares were seen at Bower Hall marshes on Monday by Martin Cock.

On Sunday 10th Martin Cock saw two ravens flying west at Maydays, two buzzards, two marsh harriers, stonechat and the large count for this area of the Pyefleet of 400 oystercatchers.

Birds of note along the Strood seawall on Sunday morning included 150 brent geese, 100 teal, 44 avocets, 15 Mediterranean gulls, two buzzards and two stonechats. Flying over Feldy View were five redwing, six fieldfares while a goldcrest was seen in the Firs Chase garden.

A common seal was lazing on the mud in the Pyefleet Channel on Saturday 9th.

Also along the channel were 6 great crested grebes, 190 oystercatchers, 45 avocets, 200 black-tailed godwits, 200 dunlin, 1000 knot seen in flight as were three snipe. A peregrine stirred up the waders and wildfowl at the west end of the Pyefleet, while four marsh harriers, three buzzards were also noted.

On Maydays a chiffchaff, redwing, six fieldfares, forty skylarks, three stonechats and fifty chaffinches were noted, as was a brown hare running across a field.

Two adult black brants were reported on Birdguides, seen on Saturday morning with dark-bellied brent geese opposite the West Mersea Yacht Club. An hour earlier in the morning a single bird had been seen first in this area.

Late on Saturday afternoon Andy Field and Martin Cock watched 17 marsh harriers flying into roost on the Langenhoe marshes, seen from the Shop Lane seawall.

On Friday 8th along the Strood, a peregrine was seen over the channel, also 50 Mediterranean gulls, 300 golden plover, 28 avocets, snipe flying, while in the fields were a buzzard, 20 linnets, 15 skylarks, 20 pied wagtails and a rock pipit.

A black brant was seen on Thursday 7th feeding opposite the Coast Inn car park. Late morning five pink-footed geese flew south-west over the Firs Chase caravan park calling as they headed towards Old Hall. Along the Strood seawall were seen 200 brent geese, 150 wigeon, 150 teal, 20 Mediterranean gulls, 22 avocets, 12 little grebes, four bar-tailed godwits, marsh harrier, buzzard, three stonechats and thirty goldfinches.

Michael Thorley visited the East Mersea boating lake on Thursday 7th and noted two greenshank, 12 little egrets, 28 little grebes, 18 teal, 60 redshank, two curlew, two oystercatchers, a few dunlin, turnstone and mallard.

On Wednesday 6th Martin Cock saw a greenshank at the East Mersea boating lake, a little owl heard calling at the Youth Camp and a buzzard seen.

Andy Field walked the Cudmore Grove circuit on Wednesday morning and reported 5 stonechats, two rock pipits, 8 meadow pipits, 300 brent geese in the Golfhouse paddock, three Cetti's warblers, peregrine and a goldcrest.

Birds of note along the Strood on Wednesday were 21 avocets, 150 golden plover, four bar-tailed godwits, two marsh harriers, buzzard, two stonechats, 70 linnets, 22 corn buntings and 20 goldfinches.

A curlew was seen on Tuesday 5th along the Strood channel, also two bearded tits flew out of central reedbed and headed north, 17 ringed plovers, two bar-tailed godwits, a snipe in flight, peregrine, stonechat, fifty linnets and 1000 wood pigeons feeding in the fields. There was no sign of the four pink-footed geese seen the previous day in the field near Feldy View.

Steve Entwistle visited Feldy View on Tuesday and noted 42 pied wagtails, a fieldfare and lots of wood pigeons feeding in the recently cultivated maize field - but no sign of the pink-feet.

Martin Cock saw nine bearded tits showing well in the reedbed along the Strood dyke on Tuesday, also a marsh harrier seen.

A buzzard was photographed by Michael Thorley in Church Lane, East Mersea on Tuesday.

The moth trap in the Firs Chase garden operated on a few nights over the second week in November while the night conditions were cloudy and still. This Angle Shades was noted on the 6th.